Wedge heel



oct. 27, 1942'.

F. R. MERRITT WEDGE .HEEL

Fl'ed Jan. 22, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 menta oa. 2v', 1942 i 2,299,340

`UN1TED STATES PATENT VOFFICE wanen naar.

Frank R. Merritt, Haverhill, Mass., assigner to United `Slice Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 22, 1941, Serial No. 375,387

1p camarada lar-42) This invention relates to improvements in heels the wedge portion on oppo/se-sideothewlat of the typeknown as wedge heels." The inter, and securing the covered heel and wedge vention relates also to improvements in shoesV portions together for attachmentl as a unit to a having wedge heels and to an improved method shoe. j 1 of making such heels. 5 The above and other features'of the invention A so-called wedge heel has a wedge-like forwill be further explained in the following' deward extension for underlying and supporting tailed description and defined in the claims. y

the shank portion of a shoe bottom. Such heelsV In the drawings,

are usually made of a single piece of wood and, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe in whichV in some instances, the lower portion of the shank one form of my improved heel structure is emextension has been cut away more or less to probodied;

vide clearance between that part of the heel and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of lthey the ground, and the sides fof the shank extension shoe shown in Fig. 1;

have been recessed or reduced inwidth to produce Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the heel decorative offset effects for imparting character and wedge portions of my improved heel strucand refinement to the heel structure and improvture; ing the general appearance of the shoe. These Fig. 5 is a sectional View on the line V-V results have been obtained by cutting or gouging `of Fig. 1; f

operations which add substantially to the cost Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially of lmanufacture of the heel. Furthermore, it is along the line VI-VI of Fig. 1;

usually desirable to 'cover such heels with leather, Fig. 7 is a view in longitudinal section of a 'fabric or the like and, because-of the irregulariwedge heel structure embodying 'a modied form ties of surface contour produced by the cutting of my invention; l and gouging operations, the covering of such Fig. 8 isa sectional view taken along the line heels has been a slow and diiiicult procedure VIII-VIII of Fig. 7; i x as well as an expensive one. In some instances, Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a decorative effects have been produced by coverwedge heel embodying another form of my in- I ing the gouged out or recessed portions with one vention; and

material and the rest of the structure with a dif- Fig. l0 is a sectional view along the line X-X ferent material yor by painting various portions of Fig. 9.

of the heel structure with lacquers of contrasting My improved wedge heel structure as disclosed colors. These operations have been difficult to in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, comprises a heel porperform on a one-piece heel structure and their`W` tion Ill and a wedge portion I2. The wedge expense has been such as to limit the application nportion"LZ-isgconstru@ted-and arrangedto seat of heels tinished in this manner to high-grade yagainst the heel portion I0 andrit is so shaped shoes., I Vthat its rear face I4 is narrower than the breast Objects of the present invention are to `overface IB of the heel portion. These parts are arcome such diiculties of manufacture as those ranged with the heel portion extending laterally above referred to and to provide improvementsv beyond the wedge portion on opposite sides of in the construction of wedge heels rendering 40 the .latter whereby, when the heel is attached them more attractive and stylish in appearance. to a shoe, a decorative set back or panel effect With these objects in view, my invention conis produced at the wedge portion of the heel. A sists in the features of the wedge heel constructonguel I8, formed on the rear face of the'wedge tion hereinafter described and claimed. portion I2, is shaped to cooperate with a groove Considered. in another aspect, my invention 20 but in the breast face of the heel portion I0 provides an improved method of making wedge to secure the heel and wedge portions together heel units which comprises forming a heel porin assembled relation. The end faces 22 of the tion having a breast face, forming a separate tongue I8 cooperate with the shoulders 24 which wedge portion having a rear face narrower than define the ends of the groove 20 to prevent rela- -the breast face of the heel portion, applying 50 tive displacement of the heel and wedge porseparate coverings to the heel portion and the tions in directions lengthwise of the tongue. It wedge portion with marginal portions of said will be understood that cement, nails or other coverings overlying the breast and rear faces suitable means may be used instead of the tongue respectively, assembling, the portions together and groove construction above disclosed for holdwith the heel portion extending laterally beyond ing the parts together. As shown, a slot 26 is cut in the toplift-receiving face of the heel portion to receive the end of an outsole 28, and a toplift 30 is secured to the lower face of the heel portion by any suitable means, such as nails or cement. The heel and wedge portions may be coated with lacquer or, preferably and as shown, separate coverings 32 and 34 of leather, fabric or other suitable material may be applied to the parts before they are assembled. As indicated in the drawings, marginal portions of the coverings 32 and 34 are clamped between the breast face I6 of the heel portion and the rear face I4 of the wedge portion, this clamping action operating to assist in holding the coverings in place upon the heel and wedge portions. Such coverings may be of diierent colors to enhance the decorative effect of the heel. This heel structure is shown in Figs. l and 2 as embodied in a 36 and a quarter 38 secured in overlasted relation to an insole 40 by suitable means. A fibre heel and shank reinforcing piece 42 is provided to present a firm anchorage for the nails 44 which are used to attach the heel structure permanently to the shoe and to hold the component parts of said structure together in assembled relation thereon. It will be understood that while the heel structure is preferably assembled to form a unit prior to its attachment to the shoe it may be assembled at the time of attachment to the shoe. In the latter case, the attaching nails are relied upon exclusively to hold the component parts of the heel structure together. In accordance with the 4usual practice, a full-length sock vlining 46 is provided to cover the heads of the nails 44. An outsole 28 is attached to the bottom of the shoe by any suitable means, the rear portion of the outsole extending into the slot 26 in the heel portion.

Figs. 7 and 8 show an alternative form of my improved wedge heel structure. Referring to Fig. '7, the heel portion 46 has a forwardly and downwardly inclined extension which is constructed and arranged to underlie the shank portion of the shoe. The wedge portion 56 is shaped to fit together with the heel portion and is substantially V-shaped in cross section. It will be understood that, by virtue of the shape of the wedge portion, the breast face of the heel portion is more or less exposed on opposite sides of. the wedge portion, thus adding to the appearance of the heel structure. As shown in Figs. '7 and 8, the lower face of the wedge portion is cut away to provide clearance between the wedge portion and the ground. Dowels 52, or other suitable means, may be used to hold the heel andwedge portions together in assembled relation for attachment as a unit to a shoe or, as set forth above, the heel-attaching means may be relied upon to hold the heel and Wedge portions permanently together in proper relation to each other upon the shoe. Separate coverings 53 and 54 may be applied to the parts 48 and 5D respectively before they are assembled together to add to the appearance of the heel, or the parts may be nished in any other suitable manner.'

Figs. 9 and l0 show still another form of wedge heel structure embodying features of my invention. This structure comprises a heel portion 56 having a forwardly and downwardly sloping extension .adapted to underlie the shank portion of the shoe and a wedge portion comprising upper and lower parts 58 and 60 constructed and arranged to fit together with each other and to nt together with the heel portion with the wedge parts positioned substantially centrally widthwise of the heel portion. The upper wedge part 58 is narrower than the breast face 62 of the heel portion and the lower wedge'part 60 is narrower than the upper wedge part 58. This construction and arrangement of parts produces a stepped formation at each side of the Wedge portion of the heel structure without involving expensive gouging operations. As set forth above, separate coverings 64, 65 and 66 of leather or other suitable material may be applied to the parts 56, 58 and 60 respectively before the parts are assembled. Such coverings may be made of different materials or the parts may be finished in dierent colors to enhance the decorative effect of the heel structure. Dowels 68 or other suitable vmeans may be provided to hold the parts together in assembled relation for attachment as a unit to a shoe or the parts may be assembled upon attachment to the shoe, in which case the heel-attaching means will be relied upon exclusively to hold th portions together.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A Wedge heel structure comprising a heel portion having a breast face, a. wedge portion having a rear face shaped to seat against said breast face, said rear face being substantially narrower than said breast face throughout its entire height, separate coverings upon said heel and wedge portions, the marginal portions of said coverings overlying said breast and rear faces respectively, and means for securing said portions together for attachment as a unit to a. shoe, the opposed faces of said heel and wedge portions cooperating to assist in holdingt said coverings in position.

' 2. A wedge heel-structure comprising a heel portion having a breast face, a wedge portion having a rear face `substantially narrower than said breast face and shaped to seat against the latter, separate coverings upon -said heel and wedge portions, marginal portions of said coverings extending over said breastand rear faces respectively, and. means for securing said portions together with the heel portion extending laterally beyond the wedge portion on opposite sides thereof for attachment as a unit to a shoe,

the heel and wedge portions cooperating to exert a clamping action upon said marginal portions.

3. A wedge heel structure comprising a heel portion, and a wedge portion disposed in assembled relation to saidheel/portion, each of said portions having a separate covering upon it, one of said portions having a tongue extending heightwise thereof and the other of said portions having a groove into which said tongue extends to hold said portions together for attachment as a unit to a shoe.

4. A wedge heel structure comprising a heel portion, and a wedge portion disposed in assembled relation to"`sai,d.,heel portion, each of said portions having a separate covering upon it, one of said portions having a tongue. extending heightwise thereof, the other of said portions havihg a groove into which said tongue extends to hold said portions together for attachment as a unit to a shoe, said tongue having end faces cooperating with shoulders defining the ends of said groove to prevent relative displacement of said heel portion and said wedge portion in directions lengthwise of said tongue.

5. In a shoe, a wedge heel structure comprisportion having a rear face substantially narrower than said breast face and shaped to seat against the latter, separate coverings upon said heel and wedge portions, marginal portions of said coverings overlying the breast and rear faces of said heel and wedge portions respectively, and attaching means for securing said portions together in assembled relation upon the shoe with said coverings clamped between the opposing faces of said portions.

6. A wedge heel structure comprising a heel portion having a breast face, a wedge portion comprising a plurality of parts,the rear faces of said parts being narrower than said breast face and shaped to seat against the latter and said wedge parts being positioned substantially centrally widthwise of saidheel portion, and means for securing said heel portion and said wedge parts together for attachment as a unit to a shoe.

'7. A wedge heel structure comprising a heel portion having a forwardly and downwardly inclined extension constructed and arranged to underlie the shank portion of a shoe, and a wedge portion comprising' upper and lower parts, said upper part being narrower than said extension and wider than said lower part, and means for securing said heel portion and said wedge parts together with the wedge parts positioned substanportion-and a wedge portion, 'said wedge portion being substantially V-shaped in cross section, and means for securing said portions together with the heel portion extending laterally beyond 5 the wedge portion on both sides thereof for at- C? La tially centrally widthwise of the heel portion for '30 attachment as a unit Ato a shoe.

8. A wedge heel structure comprising a heell tachment as a unit to a shoe. t

9. In a shoe, a wedge heel structure comprising a heel portion and a wedge portion disposed in assembled relation to said heel portion, one of said portions having a. tongue extending heightwise thereof and the other of said portions having a groove into which said tongue extends, and heel attaching means constructed and arranged to cooperate with said tongue and groove to fasten said heel and wedge portions permanently together and to secure said heel structure upon the shoe.

10. That improvement in methods of making wedge heel units which comprises forming a heel portion having a breast face, forming a separatey wedge portion having a rear face narrower than said breast face, applying separate coverings to said heel portion and said wedge portion with marginal portions of said coverings overlying said breast and rear faces respectively, assembling said portions with said -heel portion projecting laterally beyond said wedge portion at both sides of the latter, andl securing the covered heel and wedge portions together for attachment as a unit to a shoe.

FRANK R, MERRI'I'I'. 

